Michael Matvieshen has been in the solar energy industry for more than 10 years, during which he’s helped establish solar projects worth millions of dollars in various countries around the world. Currently, he is the CEO of SunLogics PLC, a company that designs and finances solar energy projects.

Micael Matvieshen

In his career, Mr. Matvieshen has seen the gradual decrease in the price of solar technology. Half a century back, the cost of solar technology was almost $2,000 per watt, which made solar panels only useful for large projects like the US Vanguard 1 Satellite. However, as the technology has advanced and the cost of building solar panels has reduced, solar technology is more affordable.

Beyond the conventional photovoltaic (PV) cells, manufacturers are coming up with better ways of concentrating solar power to heat water and drive a turbine. This is contributing to an increase in solar power generation, even though it does not compare to the use of solar PV cells around the world. In developing nations, solar technology uptake is growing fast. India, for example, is looking to develop an international solar alliance. China, the world’s largest solar producer, continues to invest in large-scale solar farms. Even in less affluent nations like Bangladesh, solar home systems are providing power to individuals in places where the power grid isn’t available. As the economies of such nations grow, solar power is tipped to become the cheaper option for providing power.

Michael Matvieshen is enthusiastic about the increased growth of solar technology and its benefits towards the environment.